Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter called the0.6 percent population increase a move in “the right direction.”

“The dynamism, innovation and diversity of our population is attracting new people to Philadelphia and encouraging residents to want to stay in one of the greatest cities in America,” Nutter said in a press release. “We are proud of the increase in population and continue to take steps to ensure that people want to live here.”

The city's population reached more than 2 million people in the 1950s before beginning a more than 50-year decline before turning it around. This marked the sixth-straight year that population increased in the city, reported the Philadelphia Inquirer.